BMW WorldSBK rider Danilo Petrucci has picked out two surprise riders \u2013 from one surprise manufacturer \u2013 to feature in the podium battle at Phillip Island.<\/p>\n
The Australian World Superbike<\/a> round looks set to be dominated by Ducati and Nicolo Bulega<\/a> \u2013 who topped all four sessions across the two-day test, and who has won four races from six WorldSBK starts at Phillip Island \u2013 but that still leaves two spots on the podium left up for grabs.<\/p>\n One of them seems set for the Marc VDS Ducati of Sam Lowes<\/a>, who was the closest to Bulega at the test, but his advantage over the rest is seemingly much less than Bulega\u2019s (of course, speed traps are to be taken somewhat sceptically when it’s impossible to know who got a tow and who didn’t).<\/p>\n With four Ducati riders in the top-four, and none of those being the factory bike of Iker Lecuona or two-time champion Alvaro Bautista, the strength of Ducati is clear.<\/p>\n But amongst the Ducatis were the Bimota KB998s of Axel Bassani<\/a> in fifth and Alex Lowes<\/a> \u2013 three times a winner at Phillip Island \u2013 in sixth.<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n It\u2019s the two Kawasaki-powered Italian bikes that Petrucci thinks can get amongst the podium battle at the weekend, not only for their lap times but also for their apparent straight line improvements, Lowes having set the seventh-best speed in the speed trap on Tuesday and equal with Bulega.<\/p>\n